A blog about a Brownie Unit – Brownie Meeting ideas

Key to My Community: Flag Ceremony Script

I don’t know about you, but Flag Ceremonies seem really complicated… and as a busy volunteer Guider, I don’t have time for complicated. But, I’ve done the research and I can tell you that they really are simple for most Guiding levels. You just need to be prepared, and leave lots of time for practice. Our Brownie unit will be learning how to do this version of a flag ceremony as part of our Remembrance Day observances.

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First, talk about what a colour party is and what the responsibility of each role is.

Colour = Flag.

Colour Party = One colour bearer and two colour guards make up this colour party. You can add guards in multiples of two. Additional guards will follow the main party.

Colour Bearer (one girl) – The bearer stands in between the guards and carries the flag. It is a privilege to carry the colours. Since the bearer has the flag in front of her face, she depends on her guards to guide her.

Colour Guards (two girls) – Guards will march shoulder to shoulder with the flag bearer – one on her left, and one on her right. Guards officially “guard the flag” but they also guide the bearer so she doesn’t walk into anything.

Caller – One of the Colour Guards will also be the Caller. Her commands direct where the colour party will go.

Leader – The leader (typically a Guider) will stay put in circle or horseshoe. She will give commands to the colour party to get them started and to release them from their duties.

Flag respect – don’t let it touch the ground. Don’t turn your back on the flag until final “Fall Out”

Next, practice… (without a flag). In colour party groups, have the girls march around the gym following the Simple Flag Ceremony Script below to get into a rhythm. We want groups to walk together in formation. They should be moving as one unit. Once groups get it (and don’t be afraid to put them through their paces to make sure they get it right), they can try it with a real flag.

Flags should be placed or held “off stage”. We use the meeting flags that are already on flag poles.

Flag stands should be placed in the front of the room (where you want the flag party to end up.

Colour party will start from wherever they are in the circle or horseshoe.

Script:

Leader – “Colour party fall out”Colour Party leaves the Brownie Circle – one step forward, two steps back, then walk smartly to flag.

Leader/Owl: “Colour party fall in”Colour Bearertakes the flag, turns so she is facing the way she wants to start.Colour Guardsposition themselves, one on each side of the bearer (just touching, shoulder to shoulder with her).Colour PartyStand in position. (Wait for Leader command).

Leader/Owl: “March on the Colours”
Colour Partybegins marching in place.
This is the hardest part and they are tempted to march a couple of times and then jump forward. Require that they get it right. The goal is to get all three marching in step.

When they are in sync, one of the colour guards becomes the Caller.

Caller Commands move the colour party around the room. The caller should be outgoing and prepared to say her lines loudly and in public. Use whatever command suits your situation“Colour Party March”, “Colour Party Forward”, “Colour Party Stop”, “Colour Party Right Turn”, “Colour Party Left Turn”, etc.Colour Party makes their way to the flag stands. When they arrive…

Caller: “Colour Party Stop (Halt)”Colour Bearer put flag in the stand.Colour Party step back. Stand facing the flag. Remain in this position until Leader gives Fall Out command.If the National Anthem is sung, colour party stays in position during anthem, facing the flag. They should NOT sing the anthem.

Leader: “Colour party fall out”.Colour party takes one step forward, two steps back, then they walk back to their place in circle/horseshoe.

Flag Ceremony Complete.

And that’s it. There are more complicated ceremonies out there, but this one just works. I hope you try it. We’ll be doing this as part of our Key to my Community: Proud to Be Canadian meeting.

4 Responses

AWESOME! Flags have fallen out of favour. I think it’s because there is no one to teach the Guiders so they can teach the girls. We started with a simple flag etiquette lesson and learned to raise and lower the Canadian flag and how to fold it. No simple task even for Pathfinders. The hard part was of all 4 experienced Guiders, none knew how or what to do. It took much research to find some info.

Great job with your Brownies. I think we may have to add a colour party to my meetings. Thank you so much for the instructions.

Another Kathleen here 🙂 Thank you SO Much. I was looking for how to do our Key to My Community – Canada meeting and you made things SO much simpler. I have done flag ceremonies but misunderstood the point of the colour guards (thought it was to guard the flag, not watch out for the colour bearer) and didn’t do the caller thing.